Mike de Kock retained the eLan Gold Cup trophy at Greyville yesterday and this year it was with the Australian-bred High Chaparal gelding Enaad, who provided S’Manga Khumalo with his first win in the country’s premier staying event.

However, the show was stolen in the next race, the Gr 1 Mike and Carol Bass Champions Cup, by the magnificent three-year-old Silvano gelding Marinaresco, who was brought home by Grant Van Niekerk. Marinaresco’s win gave legendary trainer Mike Bass, after whom the race was named, a perfect end to his official training career as he now hands over the reins to his daughter Candice Robinson.

Newly crowned national champion jockey Khumalo rode a confident race in the Gold Cup in testing ground on a horse who was presented in superb condition.

From his good draw of three, Khumalo sat in the back three down the back straight. He made up ground continually under the hands on the outside as they neared the straight. Khumalo revealed later his charge still had plenty of running in him and he soon hit the front on the standside. The Bass-trained Helderberg Blue relished the step up in trip and charged at Enaad, but it was too late as the latter still had plenty in the tank and won by 1,25 lengths.

S’manga Khumalo leaping dismount from Enaad (Nkosi Hlophe)

Enaad’s stablemate Kinaan was third, despite being officially 4,5kg under sufferance, Ovidio was next best and Master Sabina repeated his fifth place finish of two years ago.

It was De Kock’s fourth Gold Cup victory. Enaad is owned by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum’s Al Adiyaat South Africa (Pty) Ltd and was also bred by him.

In the Champions Cup over 1800m Marinaresco looked to be in trouble when a gap closed on him on the outside, after being brought from well off the pace. He had to be snatched up and it was testimony to his class that he was still able to pick up again and rocket through to win by 1,25 lengths from Judicial with No Worries, Saratoga Dancer and Baritone next best. Marinaresco fittingly raced in the colours Marsh Shirliff, the Bass ýard’s most prominent owner in recent times. Shirtliff owns Mauritzfontein Stud-bred Marinaresco in partnership with Bass himself as well as F Green and Bryn Ressell.

Mike and Carol spoke of being humbled to have had the race named after them and Shirtliff paid tribute to them and their highly professional staff.

Earlier, Mike Azzie had gone one better than last year in the Gr 1 Thekwini Stakes over 1600m courtesy of Querari Falcon, who was given a patient ride by Anthony Delpech. Querari Falcon gave Maine Chance Farms’ sire Querari his first Gr 1 winner. Delpech, jumping from a tricky draw of eight, was content to sit about five lengths off the lead where he was covered up and beautifully relaxed. The long-striding horse found plenty in the straight to win by a length from the favourite Dawn Calling , who had been handy from the off. Sail was a neck back in third from Safe Harbour and Fortissimus. Querari Falcon was bred by the late BH Botha, Arne J Botha and ME Botha and is owned by Adriaan and Rika van Vuuren.

Hack Green (Nkosi Hlophe)

In the Gr 1 Premier’s Champion Stakes the stallion Gimmethegreenlight landed his first Gr 1 victory with the Paul Gadsby-trained gelding Gunner, who was given a fine ride by Brandon Lerena. It was former jockey Gadsby’s first Gr 1 winner as a trainer since San Carlos won the Star Sprint in 1991. Lerena from a tricky draw of seven was in the last three in the running together with the hot favourite Zodiac Ruler. Gunner had been caught wide in the Gr 2 Durban Golden Horseshoe over 1400m last time out when beaten 1,75 lengths by Zodiac Ruler. This time, with cover throughout, he moved through smoothly and was able to fight off Zodiac Ruler to win by 0,5 lengths. Misty Birnam also came from well back in the testing conditions for third, just pipping Africa Rising with Lotus Elan fifth.

Duncan Howells won the first race and made it a double on the card when the Avontuur-bred Var filly A Womens Way ran on well to win the Gr 2 Debutante over 1200m on the turf under Ian Sturgeon, just getting up to deny Arissa. La Revere pipped the favourite, The Merry Widow, who was giving 4kg to the field, for third.

Dennis Drier landed the Gr 2 Umkhomazi Stakes over 1200m with the big Varsfontein Stud-bred Gimmethegreenlight colt Hack Green,(pictured)  who jumped from a draw of seven and hacked up by three lengths, under a confident ride from Sean Veale, running on strongly from behind. The previously unbeaten Wrecking Ball was second and Hack Green’s stablemate Rocky Valley clinched third ahead of the fading favourite Seattle Singer. This was Gimmethegreenlight’s first stakes winner.

Neil Bruss once again showed his class as a trainer when Flying Ice won the Gr 2 Gold Bracelet over 2000m under a fine ride by Anthony Delpech. The race was switched to the polytrack after a jockey’s protest. The Lammerskraal-bred Go Deputy four-year-old filly loved her first outing on this surface, bursting through from a handy position to beat a running on Nightingale by 2,75 lengths with the Bruss-trained Deputy Ryder third. The hot favourite Olma over-raced and faded tamely in the straight. Flying Ice is owned by M Paterson. Bruss now departs for another stint training in Saudi Arabia.

Trainer Garth Puller dedicated the win of Ashaawes gelding Asstar in the Listed Umgeni Handicap over 1000m on the poly to his recently late nephew and talented jockey Christoper Puller. Asstar was ridden by Alec Forbes.

David Thiselton

Marinaresco overcame a wide draw and a troubled passage to land the Gr1 Mike and Carol Bass Champions Cup at Greyville yesterday. It was a fitting send off for Bass to sign off on a race named in his honour as he retired after yesterday’s race meeting.

There were a few anxious moments for the supporters of the 11-10 favourite as he became the meat in the sandwich at around the 400m mark. However, there was no stopping the diminutive son of champion stallion Silvano as he powered through the tight gap, going on to win comfortably from Judicial, No Worries and Saratoga Dancer.

Carol and Mike Bass (Nkosi Hlophe)

The early fractions were more suited to a funeral procession than a horserace and it allowed Grant van Niekerk to track wide on the home turn without much effort. Approaching the final two furlongs it was a cavalry charge and there were a number of hard luck stories, most notably Saratoga Dancer who only found daylight when the race was over.

Van Niekerk was lavish in his praise for Bass who recognised a precocious talent and plucked the young jockey out of obscurity, and also for his mount Marinaresco. “You always get nervous before a big race but when you sit on him he does it all for you.”

S’Manga Khumalo, Champion Jockey elect, rounded off a memorable season with a perfectly timed run aboard the Australian-bred Enaad (5-1) to give Mike de Kock back-to-back wins in the Gr2 eLan Gold Cup. He was chased home by Helderberg Blue and Kinaan with Ovidio filling fourth place.

Tucked in towards the back of the field for most of the race as stable companion Kingston Mines set the gallop, Khumalo gradually moved Enaad into contention up the hill and was within striking distance of the lead as the field came off the false rail at the top of the straight.

Along with stable companion Kinaan the pair hit the front with Enaad staying on the better. Helderberg Blue hit a flat spot in the straight but then picked it up smartly and finished strongly for second.

Enaad (Nkosi Hlophe)

“This was one of my goals,” said Khumalo, already a winner of the Vodacom Durban July aboard Heavy Metal in 2013, “and I’m glad to have achieved it.”

“This horse had so much running in him. At the 800m mark I thought to myself that my horse was full of running and I didn’t want to break his stride.”

However, it is anxious times for Khumalo who faces charges of injudicious riding in a race in Port Elizabeth last month.

De Kock said, “He was a horse that was progressing nicely and he had to win the Gold Vase to get in the race. When he won the Vase I was a bit concerned because they don’t often do the double.”

“I wasn’t worried about the penalty because he was so low in the weights I didn’t think it would make any difference.”

“There is still more to come. I don’t think he’s reached his handicap mark as yet,” concluded the trainer.

Querari Falcon and Gunner gave the Equus Award judges a double headache when rounding off the season with victories in the Gr1 Thekwini Stakes and the Gr1 Premier’s Champion Stakes respectively. Judging for the awards took place immediately after the running of the Gr1 Mike and Carol Bass Champions Cup.

With two-year-old Gr1’s at a premium, all have produced different results. Dawn Calling was in warm order for the Thekwini Stakes but after battling her way through traffic she was unable to match the finishing burst of Querari Falcon and Anthony Delpech who finished with a wet sail on the favourite’s outside.

It was also a red letter day for Champion freshman sire Gimmethegreenlight who rounded off his first season at stud with a Gr2 winner in Umkhomazi Stakes victor Hack Green and two races later Gunner caused a 25-1 upset in the Gr1 Premier’s Champion Stakes for Paul Gadsby with Brandon Lerena aboard.

Ashburton-based Gadsby said he had bought Gunner at the CTS January sale. “I liked the Gimmethegreenlights and this is the one I wanted. Hassen (Adams) was kind enough to let me leave him on the farm for two months. It took me ages to put him together and Hassen kept a quarter. I have a few more Gimmethegreenlights back home so hopefully I’m in the right camp.”

Andrew Harrison

Gavin van Zyl said his smart three-year-old Judpot gelding Rocketball had “come out of the July bouncing” and he hoped the blinkers would do the trick in the Gr 1 Mike and Carol Bass Champions Stakes over 1800m at the eLan Gold Cup meeting at Greyville on Sunday. Meanwhile, his son and assistant Gareth is bullish about the chances of No Worries in the same race.

The yard also have a number of other runners with chances on the day. Rocketball, who has a giant of a stride, disappointed in the Vodacom Durban July when turning for home too far out of his ground and then failing to quicken.

Gavin said, “I hope the blinkers help this time. He has a good draw so will hopefully be ridden just off the pace and will hopefully follow through.” Champion jockey Gavin Lerena rides and is a boost to his chances.

No Worries bounced back to form this season over staying trips. However, he then proved the turnaround had little to do with his stamina capacity when winning the KZN Breeders Million Mile off the back of a slow pace, displaying a fine turn of foot.

The 1800m trip should be perfect. The draw of nine is tricky, but didn’t stop him in the KZN Million Mile, where he jumped from draw ten. Warren Kennedy gets on well with the six-year-old Kahal gelding and remains aboard. Gareth said, “He is 100%, we couldn’t have hoped for a better preparation. I am confident he will do his best.”

Gavin has an interesting runner in the Gr 1 Premier’s Champions Stakes over 1600m, the eye-catching Gimmethegreenlight gelding Without A Doubt. He is still a maiden but has impressed with his strong finishes against some good horses over shorter.

Gavin said, “He has good form and I don’t think he ran to his best on the poly last time (2,8 length third to Qeyaadah), I think he is better on the turf. He is bred to go the ground and further and it wouldn’t surprise me if he ran into the money.”

In the Gr 1 Thekwini Stakes over 1600m, Gavin runs Mogok filly Costa Da Sol. He said, “She has good form but is yet to come up against this sort of opposition and she has a wide draw too. But the two-year-old form is still establishing itself at this time of the year so we are taking our chances and hope she runs into the money.”

Poster Girl (Nkosi Hlophe)

Gareth runs Poster Girl in the Thekwini and said, “Anton Marcus suggested we run her in this race and her work has been very good. The race will tell whether she stays the mile or not. All things considered, she could be the dark horse.”

Gavin’s sprinter Isca won well on Vodacom Durban July day and now runs over the same polytrack 1000m course and distance in the Listed Umgeni Handicap. However, he now has an eleven draw to overcome, as opposed to two, and was also given a maximum eight point raise for that last win. Gavin said, “I am just as happy with him as I was before that last run and he will run a good race.”

Gavin runs King Of Kings gelding Prince Ariano in the second race, a Juvenile Plate over 1900m on the turf. He said, “We have put the blinkers on and he is looking for the extra ground. He has got a chance and I expect him to run into the money.”

Gareth runs the talented Mygirldownunder in the Gr 2 Debutante over 1200m, but he was cautious about her chances.

He said, “She is very fast and only time will tell whether she sees out 1200m, so it not ideal trying that trip for the first time after a little rest and from a wide draw. She will likely come on from the run but is above average and it is a Gr 2 so we decided to take our chances. She certainly won’t disgrace herself.”

Gareth runs Night Shadow in the last race of the season, a MR 78 Handicap over 1900m on the poly, where he has an inexperienced 4kg claimer up in order to alleviate his 63,5kg weight. Gareth is not sure what to expect from this horse, whom he believes to probably be “bi-polar”. He said, “He is temperamental and has gone off the boil, but it seems it’s mental because one day he wants to work, the next day he doesn’t. If the right Night Shadow arrives he will probably win, so we hope he bounces back to form. He is fit and sound.”

Gavin completed his grass work with his charges last week and has been using the Summerveld polytrack this week.

Gareth has been using the Summerveld poly and the grass bend this week. None of the yard’s runners have missed any work.

David Thiselton